Written Answers Tuesday 10 June 2008

Scottish Executive

Access for People with Disabilities

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of abuse of the Blue Badge scheme have been reported in each of the last five years and what enforcement measures have been taken.

Stewart Stevenson: The information is not held centrally. This is a matter for individual local authorities.

  However, the member may be interested to learn that Audit Scotland recently published details of possible fraud on the Blue Badge Scheme in their report on the National Fraud Initiative. As a result of a pilot scheme on data matching with some local authorities, 960 Blue Badges were cancelled, mainly where the holder had died and the badge had not been returned. Audit Scotland have decided to make this a mandatory part of the National Fraud Initiative in order that all local authorities will be involved in the next round.

  The report can be found at:

  http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/docs/central/2008/nr_080515_national_fraud_initiative.pdf.

Airports

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the capacity expansion at Glasgow and Edinburgh airports, as proposed in the national planning framework discussion draft, will have on greenhouse gas emission levels.

John Swinney: The environmental effects of enhancements at Edinburgh and Glasgow Airports are addressed in the environmental report which accompanied the discussion draft of the national planning framework.

Ambulance Service

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any representations to Her Majesty’s Government on changes to the tax-free rate to ensure that volunteer driver numbers are maintained, in light of the impact of rising fuel costs on such drivers.

Shona Robison: One of the first actions outlined in the Refreshed Strategy for Volunteering issued recently to the NHS in Scotland was to review the payment of out of pocket expenses for volunteers. This review is currently in hand and further guidance will be issued on this in due course to ensure a consistent approach across the NHS in Scotland. We are concerned about the impact of rising fuel costs on volunteer drivers, and plan to hold discussions with HM Revenue and Customs on the current tax-free rate, which is a reserved matter.

  The Refreshed Strategy for Volunteering in the NHS in Scotland is available at:

  http://www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/mels/CEL2008_10.pdf.

Ambulance Service

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement made to the Parliament by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing on 4 June 2008 on the Scottish Ambulance Service, whether the action plan will examine shift patterns and on-call periods.

Shona Robison: The development of the action plan to eliminate the rostered single manning of traditional double crewed accident and emergency ambulances will include consideration of shift patterns and on-call periods.

Ambulance Service

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement made to the Parliament by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing on 4 June 2008 on the Scottish Ambulance Service, whether the action plan will be extended to examine the recruitment and retention of volunteer drivers.

Shona Robison: While the actions outlined by the Cabinet Secretary on 4 June do not include examination of the recruitment and retention of volunteer car drivers, the Scottish Ambulance Service will be reviewing their Patient Transport Strategy over the coming months and this will include the Volunteer Car Service.

Central Heating Programme

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-13143 by Stewart Maxwell on 28 May 2008, on what date the decision was taken to extend the contract for providing its central heating programme.

Stewart Maxwell: The letter notifying the managing agent (Scottish Gas) of the contract extension was dated 9 October 2007.

Central Heating Programme

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-13143 by Stewart Maxwell on 28 May 2008, what criteria were used to reach the decision to extend the contract for providing its central heating programme.

Stewart Maxwell: The decision to extend the contract for a further 12 months was based on an assessment of the most effective way to continue value for money delivery of the programme.

Central Heating Programme

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-13143 by Stewart Maxwell on 28 May 2008, which charitable and voluntary sector bodies it consulted prior to deciding to extend the contract for providing its central heating programme.

Stewart Maxwell: No consultation with charitable or voluntary sector bodies was carried out at the time of the current contract extension. The Scottish Fuel Poverty Forum, made up of a number of charitable and voluntary sector bodies, is now considering the future of the central heating programme and will report to ministers in the autumn.

Children in Care

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what research it collates on the use of restraint on looked-after and accommodated children.

Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government does not routinely collate research on the use of restraint for looked-after and accommodated children. The Scottish Government funds the Scottish Institute for Residential Child Care, which in 2005 produced Holding Safely, good practice guidelines for restraint which were informed by evidence in this area.

Children with Disabilities

Joe FitzPatrick (Dundee West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities charge for the provision of services for disabled children.

Adam Ingram: This information is not held centrally.

Climate Change Bill

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the proposed Scottish Climate Change Bill will include all (a) greenhouse gases and (b) aviation and shipping.

Stewart Stevenson: We are currently considering which gases to include in the 80% target in the proposed Scottish Climate Change Bill. The responses to the consultation are being reviewed and further evidence gathered in order to inform this decision.

  We stated in the consultation on proposals for a Scottish Climate Change Bill that the target should include emissions from domestic aviation and shipping but that it should not include emissions from international aviation and shipping. However, we are considering whether the bill should allow for the inclusion of international aviation and shipping at a later date.

Dentistry

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-12895 by Shona Robison on 20 May 2008, what plans it has to increase dental registration for people aged between 18 and 24 in Edinburgh.

Shona Robison: The responsibility for the overall provision of NHS dental services in the area rests with the NHS board, NHS Lothian. Where a NHS board considers that the existing general dental service is insufficient, the NHS boards can appoint salaried dentists. NHS Lothian already employs a number of salaried dentists and are looking to approve further such posts.

  NHS Lothian received £2.48 million from the 2006-07 and 2007-08 Primary and Community Care Premises Modernisation Programme to develop six dental surgeries in Bonnyrigg which will improve access in Midlothian and new clinical facilities within the Edinburgh Dental Institute will increase service provision and give improved access to patients. The addition of 20 dental chairs represents a 30% increase in capacity. It will assist with management of waiting times particularly in restorative and paediatric dentistry. The projects are due to open in the autumn of this year.

  The Scottish Government have introduced a number of financial measures to improve access to NHS dental services and we are also working to continue to increase the dental workforce in Scotland, including Edinburgh.

Digital Technology

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the Connected Communities project is delivering adequate services at a competitive price for broadband customers in the Western Isles.

Jim Mather: We consider the broadband services and cost balance, where they are being provided by Connected Communities, to represent considerable progress. Highlands and Islands Enterprise are also investigating how Connected Communities’ services could evolve and be improved over time.

Electricity

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that, in determining connections to the national electricity grid system, factors such as local load and efficiency should be prioritised so that small baseload generations can gain quicker connection.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government has made clear our view that the current system of processing grid connection offers needs to change. While responsibility for connections to the transmission network is a matter primarily for the UK government, we are in continuous discussions with the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, National Grid and others to ensure that the connection system does not involve unnecessary delays for viable projects. This includes participation in the current review of grid access arrangements.

  Local load and efficiency will be important factors for the grid owners and operators to consider when considering and making connection offers. However, our view is that the connection process needs to give greater weight than at present to factors such as the relevant planning consents being in place and the financial viability of the applicant and their project.

Employment

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many hours of overtime it estimates are worked annually.

John Swinney: For the year April 2007 to March 2008 the total number of hours overtime worked across the Core Scottish Government, for which staff claimed overtime, was approximately 190,938.

Family Law (Scotland) Act 2006

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the Family Law (Scotland) Act 2006 has had on the number of fathers obtaining custody of their children.

Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-13639 on 9 June 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Ferry Services

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when Superfast Ferries first indicated its intention to withdraw the ferry service from Rosyth to Zeebrugge.

Stewart Stevenson: Attica first indicated its intention to withdraw the ferry service from Rosyth to Zeebrugge on 28 May 2008.

Ferry Services

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when and where ministers (a) first and (b) subsequently met representatives of Attica or Superfast Ferries to discuss the withdrawal of the Rosyth to Zeebrugge ferry service.

Stewart Stevenson: Ministers first met Attica in Edinburgh on 21 January, and subsequently on 21 April in Athens to discuss the future of the Rosyth to Zeebrugge ferry service and the issues which Attica wished to raise. These discussions were not about withdrawal of the service.

Ferry Services

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive who took part in meetings with Attica or Superfast Ferries to discuss the withdrawal of the Rosyth to Zeebrugge ferry service.

Stewart Stevenson: We and Forth Ports met Attica to discuss the Rosyth to Zeebrugge ferry service. These meetings were not discussions about withdrawal of the service.

Ferry Services

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has discussed with Attica or Superfast Ferries any return of public funding following the decision to withdraw the Rosyth to Zeebrugge ferry service.

Stewart Stevenson: No.

Ferry Services

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it took, after learning of the intention to withdraw the Rosyth to Zeebrugge ferry service, to encourage Attica or Superfast Ferries to continue the service.

Stewart Stevenson: We are pursuing all viable options for the continuation of the service on a commercial basis. We will continue to work closely with Forth Ports, Attica and others to that end.

Ferry Services

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in discussions with alternative operators offering a replacement ferry service between Rosyth and Zeebrugge.

Stewart Stevenson: Discussions are on-going and are of a commercially confidential nature.

Ferry Services

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to offer public funding to encourage alternative operators to offer a replacement ferry service between Rosyth and Zeebrugge and, if so, what conditions will be attached to the offer.

Stewart Stevenson: We are seeking continuation of the service on a commercial basis. In the event of an application being made, a replacement operator may be eligible for support under Waterborne Freight Grant, which assists with operating costs during the start-up period of new shipping services which transfer freight from road to sea.

Ferry Services

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the development of a new ferry service between Lagg on Jura and Keilmore on mainland Argyll.

Stewart Stevenson: The development of a new ferry service between Lagg on Jura and Keilmore on the mainland is a matter for Argyll and Bute Council to consider as planning authority. As Scottish ministers may become involved in any future planning application it would not be appropriate to offer any comments on the merits of the proposal.

Freedom of Information

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-12302 by Bruce Crawford on 9 May 2008, how many of the freedom of information requests it answered by citing an exemption under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 have been appealed since May 2007 and, of these, how many appeals have been granted.

Bruce Crawford: The information requested is available at the website of the Scottish Information Commissioner at:

  http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/home/ScottishInformationCommissioner.asp.

  This website shows a list of all outstanding cases with the commissioner for investigation and a full list of his decisions, including the text of the decision. For those involving the Scottish ministers a search can be undertaken against the terms "Scottish ministers" or "Scottish Executive".

Fuel Costs

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance it is giving to community transport organisations that are losing volunteer drivers as a result of increasing fuel costs.

Stewart Stevenson: Responsibility for community transport passed to local authorities on 1 April 2008 as part of the local government finance settlement. It is for local authorities to decide whether they assist community transport organisations in their area and to what extent and purpose.

Health

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many attendances at nurse-led clinics in Tayside there have been in the latest year for which information is available.

Nicola Sturgeon: The information is published on the Scottish Health Statistics website under Emerging Statistics for Nurse-Led Clinics at http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/4453.html .

Health

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-9987 by Nicola Sturgeon on 26 February 2008, what information it has received from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde in respect of the possible outsourcing of occupational health services; what progress it has made in monitoring the developments of this proposal, and what its current view is on the proposal.

Nicola Sturgeon: Officials from the Scottish Government and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde continue to liaise at regular intervals on this matter. Our current information is that the board are continuing with their deliberations but no decisions have been made.

  The Scottish Government position remains that it is for NHS boards to determine how occupational health services are provided. Any transition to a shared services model is a journey that needs careful planning and execution, and requires comprehensive understanding of the delivery process including customer requirements and delivery objectives. We understand that NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde are continuing with their consideration of these issues, and as no decisions have been taken, it is not possible to offer a view on what the outcome of their deliberations may be.

Housing

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people it estimates will be helped by the Low-cost Initiative for First Time Buyers (LIFT) in 2008-09.

Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government has allocated funding to assist over 1,500 households into home ownership through the Low-cost Initiative for First Time Buyers (LIFT) during 2008-09. The actual number of households helped will depend upon demand and progress in taking forward new build projects.

Identity Cards

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is possible to identify the user of a Scottish national entitlement card by its unique 19 digit reference number.

John Swinney: The 16 digit number printed on the National Entitlement Card is the card number and is unique within a local authority area. It is not a lifelong personal identifier. If the cardholder moves to a new local authority area a new card will be issued with a new number on it.

  The card number is held in the card management system along with the card holder’s name and address, a unique application number and date of issue plus any other information relating to the re-issue or replacement of a card.

NHS Waiting Times

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation was undertaken with GPs before the introduction of the New Ways waiting times system.

Nicola Sturgeon: Interim guidance on the new definitions and main principles of "New Ways" was issued in March 2005. This guidance was produced by a multi-disciplinary group of the health service - including a GP - and the Scottish Executive Health Department. The main principles of this guidance remain in place today. The guidance stressed the need for NHS boards to ensure that all relevant staff, including hospital clinicians and GPs, were fully informed of the guidance and involved in the issues covered

  I wrote to all GP practices in Scotland in September 2007, to seek general practitioners’ help in ensuring that patients understood how the new system of defining and measuring waiting times across Scotland would operate. I also indicated that a leaflet had already been issued to general practices to familiarise practice staff with the new approach and to assist them in implementing it, and that NHS boards would be offering training or awareness events.

NHS Waiting Times

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the 20,931 out-patients and the 2,452 in-patients that were removed from the New Ways waiting list in the first quarter of 2008 were previously on the Availability Status Codes waiting list.

Nicola Sturgeon: Information on whether patients removed from waiting lists following the introduction of "New Ways" of defining and measuring waiting times held an Availability Status Code is not collected centrally.

NHS Waiting Times

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the 8,301 out-pateints and the 2,914 in-patients that were removed from the New Ways waiting list in the first quarter of 2008 were transferred to another (a) speciality and (b) NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is shown in the following tables.

  There are some data quality issues around the statistics relating to reasons why patients have been removed from waiting lists. Consequently, the data provided is provisional and is expected to change when the next set of statistics is published at the end of August 2008. Details of the quality issues can be found at http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/5573.html.

  NHSScotland: Number of New Out-Patients Removed from Waiting List and Either Transferred to Another Specialty or Transferred to Another NHS Board. Quarter Ending 31 March 2008P

  

 Removal Reason
 Removal Reason Description
 Quarter Ending 31 March 2008P


 Code 50
 Transferred within NHS Board area to another specialty
 5,692


 Code 59
 Transferred to another NHS Board area
 680



  PProvisional. It is known that the accuracy of recording of these codes has varied by NHS boards and these figures should be used with caution.

  Source: Waiting Times Data Warehouse, ISD Scotland.

  NHSScotland: Number Of In-Patients and Day Cases Removed from Waiting List and Either Transferred to Another Specialty or Transferred to Another NHS Board. Quarter Ending 31 March 2008P

  

 Removal Reason
 Removal Reason Description
 Quarter Ending 31 March 2008P


 Code 50
 Transferred within NHS Board area to another specialty
 129


 Code 59
 Transferred to another NHS Board area
 1,622



  PProvisional. It is known that the accuracy of recording of these codes has varied by NHS boards and these figures should be used with caution.

  Source: Waiting Times Data Warehouse, ISD Scotland.

NHS Waiting Times

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what codes are applied to a patient being removed from waiting lists where the referral is not from a GP.

Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested, for new out-patients is provided in the following table. Information for in-patients, day cases and return out-patients is not centrally available.

  NHSScotland: New Out-patients Removed from Waiting List Where the Patient was Not Referred by a General Medical Practitioner or General Dental Practitioner. Codes Used During Quarter Ending 31 March 2008

  

 Removal Reason
 Removal Reason Description


 10
 Attended/admitted


 20
 Referred back to GP - Social unavailability


 21
 Referred back to GP - Medical unavailability


 37
 Referred back to GP - Could not attend


 38
 Referred back to GP - Did not attend


 40
 Referred back to GP - Refused "reasonable offer"


 41
 Referred back to GP - No response to offer


 42
 Referred back to GP - Inappropriate referral


 43
 Inappropriate addition to list


 50
 Transferred within NHS Board area to another specialty


 51
 Transferred within NHS Board area to another hospital


 59
 Transferred to another NHS Board area


 80
 Treatment no longer required


 90
 Died



  Source: Waiting Times Data Warehouse, ISD Scotland.

NHS Waiting Times

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints have been received by patients about the operation of the New Ways waiting times system.

Nicola Sturgeon: I have personally received no complaints from patients or from their representatives about the operation of the New Ways system.

  The number of complaints about waiting times made to NHS boards during the year ending 31 March 2008 will be published by ISD Scotland later this year. This period includes nine months prior to the introduction of New Ways. The first publication of complaints data covering the whole full year will be during 2009. It will not be possible to separate complaints relating to the operation of New Ways from complaints about other aspects of waiting times.

NHS Waiting Times

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients were not added to waiting lists by virtue of being deemed medically unfit and having no clear end date to the condition which would have allowed the referral to proceed; who is responsible for reaching such a conclusion, and whether the patient, appropriate care giver or GP is contacted before removal from waiting lists.

Nicola Sturgeon: Information on numbers of patients not added to waiting lists is not available centrally. Published national guidance makes it clear that medically unfit patients should not be added to a waiting list if there is no estimated end date to their unavailability.

  The decision to add a patient to a waiting list or to remove a patient from a waiting list can only be made by the healthcare professional responsible for that patient’s treatment. A patient will not be removed from a waiting list if it is clinically inappropriate to do so. The national guidance makes it clear that the patient and the patient’s GP should be informed if a decision is made to return a patient to the care of their GP. The GP can of course re-refer the patient.

NHS Waiting Times

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a patient, in responding to the offer of an appointment under New Ways waiting times system and stating a "social reason" for unavailability, is able to have the clock stopped up to a date defined by that patient.

Nicola Sturgeon: Published national guidance makes it clear that a patient’s "waiting time clock" is re-started when the patient becomes available to accept an appointment or admission date. A patient would normally define the end date of their social unavailability.

NHS Waiting Times

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the first supplementary to question S3O-2738 by Nicola Sturgeon on 20 March 2008 ( Official Report , c. 7216), what steps have been taken by itself or individual NHS boards to monitor and evaluate the patient experience of the New Ways waiting times system.

Nicola Sturgeon: The overall aim of the "Better Together" programme is to gather information on the patient experience, which will be used to drive forward service improvements. In the first few years the programme will focus on In-patients, commencing in autumn 2008. This may include general information on patient experience of waiting times. Details are still being developed and have yet to be finalised.

  I have already asked ISD Scotland for a New Ways data quality assurance project to be undertaken. I understand this may include an evaluation of the patient experience based on a random sample of patients from each NHS board. The project is currently being designed and is due to report by October 2008.

  As you will also be aware, the Auditor General for Scotland will also be undertaking a review of how the NHS applies the new system of defining and measuring waiting times.

NHS Waiting Times

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the detailed breakdown was of the 12,868 out-patients and 8,130 in-patients deleted from waiting lists on the grounds of "treatment no longer required".

Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not collected centrally.

  The decision to remove a patient from a waiting list can only be made by the healthcare professional responsible for that patient’s treatment. A patient will not be removed from a waiting list if it is clinically inappropriate to do so.

  Information on numbers of patients removed from waiting lists during the quarter ended 31 March 2008, by NHS board, is published on ISD Scotland’s Acute Hospital Care website. This can be accessed at http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/3454.html.

NHS Waiting Times

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive who made the decision to classify the 12,868 out-patients and the 8,130 in-patient deleted from the waiting lists as "treatment no longer required".

Nicola Sturgeon: The health care professional responsible for treatment. Patients may decide they no longer require treatment, and ask to be removed from the waiting list.

NHS Waiting Times

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-9986 by Nicola Sturgeon on 25 February 2008, whether a nationally set waiting times target exists for children to be assessed prior to receiving speech therapy.

Nicola Sturgeon: Currently there are no waiting times targets for children to be assessed prior to receiving speech and language therapy. Patients are seen on the basis of clinical need.

  The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that patients have rapid access to the full range of services they need from the NHS. We will continue to look at other services which can be brought within waiting times targets. Meantime we are supporting the NHS in Scotland to improve access to services not presently covered by such targets.

National Planning Framework

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what role it expects the Parliament will have in considering responses to the consultation on the second National Planning Framework.

Stewart Stevenson: We will lay the proposed National Planning Framework before Parliament for consideration. Reponses to the discussion draft of the National Planning Framework are being published on the Scottish Government website and will therefore be available to inform parliament’s consideration of the framework.

Olympic Games

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government on Scotland’s role in the 2012 Olympic Games, particularly in respect of the involvement of Scottish business and the use of Scottish facilities for training camps and staging events.

Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government continues its engagement with UK Government, the London Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) and the Olympic Delivery Authority at official and ministerial level to ensure we can secure all opportunities available to Scotland from the 2012 games.

  On business and Pre Games Training Camps (PGTC) specifically, we and our agencies have been working with the UK Government and LOCOG to discuss their involvement in our forthcoming events. These are: Going for Gold: Business Opportunities for Scotland, an event on 17 June aimed at encouraging ethnic minority businesses, companies owned/run by women and social enterprises to compete for London 2012 work; our seminar on 19 June to give marketing and promotional advice to Scottish facilities selected for LOCOG’s PGTC Guide, and the Scottish launch of the London 2012 Business Network and CompeteFor on 4 September.

Planning

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to make a determination on the proposed Beauly to Denny transmission line.

Jim Mather: The main public sessions of the Beauly to Denny line public inquiry concluded on 20 December 2007 and associated hearings connected with land acquisition and the sub-station at Beauly concluded in May of this year. Following the closure of the inquiry, the reporters are compiling their report for the Scottish ministers who will take this into account in reaching their determination. Their report is not expected until the end of 2008, consequently it is likely to be 2009 before a determination is made.

Police

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people aged 18 and under were charged with possession of an offensive weapon in the Grampian Police area in 2006-07.

Kenny MacAskill: The data held centrally is based on an aggregate return, so it is not possible to distinguish the circumstances of the crime, such as the age of the perpetrator. For the available information, I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-13685 on 9 June 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Rail Network

Keith Brown (Ochil) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-13079 by Stewart Stevenson on 27 May 2008, whether Transport Scotland’s Strategic Transport Projects Review will specifically consider the potential benefits of extending passenger rail links from Alloa to Dunfermline as part of the examination of transport links for Dunfermline and Rosyth.

Stewart Stevenson: In examining the longer term needs of Scotland’s national strategic transport network, Transport Scotland’s Strategic Transport Projects Review is considering extending passenger access to Rosyth and possible links to Dunfermline.

  Transport Scotland will also continue to review and consider options for improving the rail network across Scotland.

Rail Network

Keith Brown (Ochil) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Transport Scotland’s Strategic Transport Projects Review will specifically consider the potential benefits of extending passenger rail links from Kinross-shire southwards.

Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland’s Strategic Transport Projects Review is examining the longer term needs of Scotland’s national strategic transport network. This includes consideration of the rail network on the strategic transport corridor between Edinburgh and Perth.

Rail Services

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will pursue with the Department for Transport and rail service providers a reduction in the cost of tickets permitting travel at any time for cross-border rail services operating below capacity.

Stewart Stevenson: Cross-border rail services are the responsibility of the Department for Transport. It is already in the commercial interests of the train operating companies to maximise revenue and, accordingly, we have no plans to seek a reduction in the costs of tickets on cross-border services operating below capacity.

Renewable Energy

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what initiatives it is taking with local authorities, NHS boards and other public agencies to introduce renewable energy capacity when public buildings are being built or redeveloped.

Jim Mather: As part of its "Leading by Example" programme the Scottish Government is looking to all parts of the public sector to play an exemplary role in pioneering new greener behaviour, including the generation of renewable energy.

  The Scottish Futures Trust will introduce innovative and more efficient ways of delivering and funding public infrastructure, and will encourage specifications which ensure that new public buildings are also green public buildings.

  Changes to the Energy Standards of Scottish Building Regulations and SPP6: Planning Guidance encourage the use of renewable energy technologies in new public buildings to meet improved carbon emissions levels.

  We are also promoting uptake by the public sector under the UK Government’s Low Carbon Buildings Programme which complements the increased funding under our own renewables grants programme for community projects.

  We are introducing dedicated schools development officers to support the deployment of renewable technologies in Scotland’s schools.

  We have also recently widened the Central Energy Efficiency Fund to allow public bodies to invest in renewables as well as energy efficiency.

Road Accidents

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what data it holds regarding the accident rate on roads such as the A77 since the introduction of average speed cameras.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government holds accident rate information for all trunk roads in Scotland. The A77 trunk road is the only trunk road in Scotland with fixed average speed cameras; the accident rate for the A77 is listed below. The accident rate is broken down by single and dual carriageway.

  The accident rate for the dual carriageway section is 7.7 accidents per 100 million vehicle km against the national dual carriageway average of 9.5 per 100 million vehicle km.

  The accident rate for the single carriageway section is 17.7 accidents per 100 million vehicle km against the national single carriageway average of 20.9 per 100 million vehicle km.

Road Safety

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of recent accident statistics, what actions it plans to take to improve road safety on the A76.

Stewart Stevenson: Accident statistics are reviewed annually across the entire trunk road network and this forms the basis for the identification of the annual programme of accident investigation and prevention (AIP) works that Transport Scotland carry out to reduce casualty numbers on the trunk road network. To complement this reactive approach, new strategies are being taken forward to remove risk and prioritise initiatives aimed at preventing accidents and mitigating the effects when accidents do occur.

  Work is currently underway on the road improvement scheme at Glenairlie and AIP works are planned to improve safety on the A76 trunk road as follows:

  Mauchline passively safe island trial

  Auldgirth to Skerrington route review - signs, high friction surfacing and lining

  Vehicle activated sign installation - signs at Courthill, Auldgirth, Barburgh Mill and Enterkinfoot

  Skerrington to Dettington roundabout

  Safety fence review.

  AIP works completed in the last year to improve safety on the A76 trunk road are as follows:

  Sanquhar to New Cumnock - signs, high friction surfacing, lining

  Passively safe signposts

  Lincluden Roundabout - signs, high friction surfacing, lining and landscaping.

Roads

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which roads have average speed cameras; how many there are per road, and when they were introduced.

Stewart Stevenson: The A77 trunk road is the only road that has permanent average speed cameras. There are a total of 48 camera locations over a 32 mile length of the route and these cameras were first installed in July 2005.

  There have been various temporary installations of average speed cameras through major roadwork sites following the fixed installation on the A77. The only temporary roadwork site at present is on the A720 Edinburgh City Bypass.

Roads

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to introduce more average speed cameras and, if so, at what locations.

Stewart Stevenson: The potential to introduce more average speed cameras, and at what trunk road locations, will be informed by an assessment of the A77 average speed camera system.

  The effectiveness of the A77 average speed camera system, installed in July 2005, will be fully assessed once three full years of data is available. A three year period is the norm when considering road safety interventions as it allows a greater degree of statistical confidence in the results.

  Accident statistics for the three year period from July 2005 to July 2008 are expected to be published in October 2008. Full assessment of the A77 average speed camera system will commence after these statistics are published.

Special Advisers

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what precautions are in place to ensure that part-time special advisers are not involved in conflicts of interest.

John Swinney: Special advisers are subject to the same conduct and confidentiality rules as apply to all civil servants. Special advisers who are part-time are made aware in their contracts that they are appointed on condition that any other employment or appointments outwith their appointment as a special adviser do not interfere with or limit their duties as a special adviser. If they feel that any such employment or appointments may give rise to a conflict of interest with their special adviser role or to a public perception of such a conflict, they are advised to consult Scottish Government Human Resources and are expected to decline where reasonably necessary.

Speech and Language Therapy

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether physiotherapy, podiatry and speech and language therapy will be included in the new 18-week referral to treatment target.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that patients have rapid access to the full range of services they need from the NHS. We will continue to look at other services which can be brought within the 18 weeks referral to treatment target, and we have already announced that audiology services will be included. Meantime, we are supporting the NHS in Scotland to improve access to services not presently covered by waiting times targets.

Student Finance

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many students were lone parents but not in receipt of lone parents grant for each academic year from 2001-02 to 2007-08.

Fiona Hyslop: The number of lone parent students who were not in receipt of lone parent grant is not held centrally.

Student Finance

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the Minister for Communities and Sport was in a position to state on 15 May 2008 that the abolition of the Graduate Endowment Fee will benefit those on low incomes ( Official Report , c. 8608) when the evidence will not be available until April 2009.

Stewart Maxwell: The policy memorandum for the Graduate Endowment Abolition (Scotland) Bill notes that "young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are often deterred from entering full-time education and from continuing in it long enough to reach their full academic potential because of economic hardships they suffer, particularly as a result of the accumulation of debt. The abolition of the GE should therefore be a contributing factor in opening up access to higher education on a more equitable basis."

  Of those eligible to pay the fee, two-thirds have added it to their student loan, which is part of the accumulation of debt - extrapolating from this we can therefore assume that the abolition will benefit those on low incomes.

Transport

Keith Brown (Ochil) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what scope there is and will be for the Parliament and local authorities to make direct contributions to Transport Scotland’s Strategic Transport Projects Review.

Stewart Stevenson: As part of the Strategic Transport Projects Review, Transport Scotland has been engaging with a range of key stakeholders through focused Reference Groups with senior representatives of organisations with considerable knowledge, experience and understanding of the transport issues involved. These include representatives from regional transport partnerships within the local authority sector as well as the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA).

  The initial findings of the review will be delivered to ministers in the summer of 2008. An announcement will be made in Parliament later in the year.

Whisky Industry

Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what effect it expects the recent changes in alcohol duty to have on the manufacture and export of distilled spirits.

Jim Mather: The importance of the whisky/spirits industry to the Scottish and UK economies should not be underestimated. Scottish Government ministers share the concerns of the spirits industry and have written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer condemning the recent changes in alcohol duty as not only damaging to Scotland and the UK economy but also a potential blow to international competitiveness of the industry at a time when it has been investing significantly to meet global demand. This is particularly the case with the Scotch whisky industry and the premium products it makes.